A living hope “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! By his great mercy he has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead...” 1Peter 1:3
Hope. We use this word so casually: I hope it is sunny tomorrow… I hope we have ice cream for dessert… I hope my team wins… But what does it mean to have a “living hope?” The answer is in the resurrection of Christ from the dead. But what difference has the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ made in your life? How might you explain it if someone asked? While Easter day has come and gone, we are still in the season of Easter. So, what does it mean to be Easter People? We have been born “into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead!” We are a people with hope. This is one of our defining characteristics as Christians. Many people wander through life wondering if this is all there is. There is no shortage of communities, families, and neighborhoods that are longing for hope. “Where there is no vision, the people perish,” so the saying goes. The same is true for hope. Without it we are dead. There is a profound hope found in the story of a changed life. We are the only tangible sign of hope to some people in this community. So…What is our hope for St. John’s in this community?
Well it’s certainly more than to just be here for another year! Our hope is more than simply wanting to grow. No, we actually believe that we have hope that we can offer to our friends and neighbors here in Grand County! The hope “to know Christ and the power of his resurrection.” As we live out our mission, Bringing Jesus Christ to the heart of our community, the invitation is there in our stories…our lives. We are a people with a story to tell – the story of our redemption as we live it out in everyday life. A story of hope! “Always be ready to make your defense to anyone who demands from you an accounting for the hope that is in you…” 1 Peter 3:15
What is the hope within you? Can you put it into words? “... Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Colossians 1:27 Our hope is not just wishful thinking, or some cleverly devised myth. Our hope as Christians is not found in the false promises and empty rewards that our world holds up as “the good life.” Our hope is not lived out in a world of fantasy, but in the here and now of this present life. Our hope is seen in the reality of changed lives and healed relationships through the power of the resurrection. Our hope is a living hope that is found in Christ alone!
In Christ alone my hope is found
He is my light, my strength, my song
This Cornerstone, this solid ground
Firm through the fiercest drought and storm
What heights of love, what depths of peace
When fears are stilled, when strivings cease
My Comforter, my All in All
Here in the love of Christ I stand
Stewart Townend (© Copyright 2001 Thankyou Music) Blessings,
Matthew+ Almighty God, whom truly to know is everlasting life: Grant us so perfectly to know your Son Jesus Christ to be the way, the truth, and the life, that we may steadfastly follow his steps in the way that leads to eternal life; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you, in the unity of the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP p. 225) | 
